Wilkinson County GA Emergency Management Agency

GEMA/HS Alert: Wilkinson All Hazards SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WILKINSON...NORTHWESTERN LAURENS AND NORTHEASTERN TWIGGS COUNTIES UNTIL 100 PM EDT Special Weather Statement issued June 19 at 12:23PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA At 1222 PM EDT...a line of strong thunderstorms was along a line... extending from near Myricks Mill to near Montrose...and moving northeast at 35 mph. HAZARD...40 mph wind and heavy rain. IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of light...unsecured objects. Heavy rain may cause temporary street flooding especially in poor drainage areas. Some locations in the path of these storms include Jeffersonville, Irwinton, Gordon, Ivey, McIntyre, Toomsboro, Danville, Montrose, Allentown, Fitzpatrick, Nicklesville, Ripley, Myricks Mill and Chappells Mill. People outdoors should seek shelter immediately. Motorists should slow down and be prepared for possible loss of control due to hydroplaning.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Three now has enough of a well-defined center and organized convection to be considered a tropical storm and has been named Claudette, the third named storm of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. At 4 a.m. CDT, the center was located 45 miles (75 km) southwest of New Orleans, La. It's moving toward the north-northeast near 12 mph (19 km/h). A turn toward the northeast is expected later today, with a turn toward the east-northeast expected by tonight... or Sunday. On the forecast track, the system should move farther inland over Louisiana during the next several hours, then move across portions of the Gulf coast and southeastern states through the weekend, and over the western Atlantic Ocean on Monday. Maximum sustained winds remain near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 205 miles (335 km) from the center. Claudette is expected to weaken to a tropical depression by tonight and become a post-tropical cyclone on Sunday. The system is forecast to re-develop over the western Atlantic Ocean on Monday. Claudette is expected to produce rainfall totals of 5 to 10 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches across portions of the central Gulf Coast. Life-threatening flash flooding impacts are possible across coastal Mississippi and Alabama, and the far western Florida Panhandle through the afternoon. Considerable flash, urban and small stream flooding impacts as well as new and renewed minor to isolated moderate river flooding are likely across the remainder of the Central Gulf Coast. The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide... A few tornadoes are possible today and tonight across southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, the western Florida Panhandle, and southwest Georgia.

Here are the Key Messages from NHC regarding Potential Tropical Cyclone Three as of 4 a.m. CDT Friday.

A weak cold front will track southward across north and central Georgia today, bringing dry air with it. As a result, it will mainly be the southern portion of the forecast area that will see isolated showers and storms develop this afternoon and evening.

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ... GEORGIA UNTIL 4 PM EST THURSDAY AFTERNOON... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN AND CENTRAL GEORGIA UNTIL 7 AM EST FRIDAY MORNING... PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA ON THURSDAY. A FEW STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE, MAINLY ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA, WITH THE PRIMARY THREATS BEING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO. WITH AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAINFALL FORECAST, SOME CREEKS AND STREAMS MAY RISE OUT OF THEIR BANKS WITH SOME ROADS POSSIBLY BEING INUNDATED.

Thunderstorms are a common occurrence in Georgia, especially during the spring and summer months. Thunderstorms can produce gusty winds, hail and even tornadoes, but in particular a severe thunderstorm can produce hail of 1 or larger (size of a quarter) and/or 58 mph (50 knots) winds or greater. Notice that lightning is not in the criteria for a severe thunderstorm warning. Typically, a severe thunderstorm lasts about 30 minutes and occurs in the afternoon and evening hours.... However, severe weather is possible any time of the day and any time of the year. Supercells, a special class of thunderstorms, are particularly violent and can last for several hours. Tornadoes are often produced from these supercell thunderstorms. This type of thunderstorm is most common in the spring. Damaging wind is the most common type of severe weather across north and central Georgia. These events can occur any time of the year, but peak in July when downbursts from pulse thunderstorms are common. Based on data from 1950-2010, 18 fatalities and 325 injuries were caused by damaging wind across north and central Georgia. Similar to damaging wind events, hail can occur in any month across north and central Georgia, however, hail events peak in May. April comes in a close second for hail events. Although most hail is between 1 and 2 in diameter in Georgia, 4.5 (softball sized) hail has been recorded across north Georgia four times. Check Out this Video on Thunderstorms Safety

Families should be prepared for any type of hazard that could affect their area. The best way to do this is to develop a family disaster plan. View this video and the steps below to make you sure and your family are prepared for an emergency. Remember to also inquire about emergency plans at work and school.

Thank you to our Law Enforcement for doing their part !

God bless our Law Enforcement Officers, keep them safe both day and night. Give them Strength and Courage, to enforce all that is right. Thank you to the Men and Women who serve our community!

Wilkinson County is in a Tornado Watch until 8pm.

From NWS Atlanta There remains a marginal threat (level 1 out of 5) for severe weather this afternoon and evening for north and central GA as a cold front pushes across the area. Main threats are isolated damaging wind gusts, a few brief tornadoes could be possible, and heavy rainfall.